


Heaven on Earth

by lara_s



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003), Major Crimes (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 08:38:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19808692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lara_s/pseuds/lara_s
Summary: William Adama just thought when he saw Laura Roslin again, it would be on that Shore she always talked about.  He never imagined their reunion taking place at a police station in a city of lost angels.This is basically BSG meets Major Crimes with a touch of Ghost.  On Earth, Bill stumbles across a woman with an astonishing resemblance to his dead love and Sharon Raydor finds herself in the middle of the strangest interview of her career.





	Heaven on Earth

She didn’t die alone, he made damn sure of that much. No, Laura took her final breath wrapped in his arms, Earth’s fresh air filling her failing lungs and with his ring slipped on her finger. She died at peace, destiny fulfilled, having seen her people safely settled at long last. 

It was, all things considered, an entirely fitting, if utterly bittersweet, send off for his queen. A part of him half expected, hoped even, if he were being entirely honest with himself, that the moment her heart stopped beating the overwhelming sorrow and grief that was sure to follow would cause his own to stop as well. 

It didn’t

Because to experience life on Earth was what she wanted for him, what she had, in fact, made him promise he would do for the both of them. But also because somehow, against all odds, a pain in the ass Secretary of Education turned President turned love of his life had made a devout atheist come to believe. 

This wasn’t the end. They would meet again. Of that he was certain. 

William Adama just thought when he saw Laura Roslin again, it would be on that Shore she always talked about. He never imagined their reunion taking place at a police station in a city of lost angels. 

*

Nine months. Almost a year since he’d bundled Laura into the passenger side seat of that car and took off into the hills, desperate to show her as much of the beauty of this new found world as he could before it was too late. Kara and Lee standing in the background waiving a sad farewell in the rearview mirror had seemed to understand they were losing both their parents that day. The kids had respected Bill’s need to be left alone in his mourning ever since. 

At least until now. 

The figure in the distance coming up the dirt road leading to the makeshift cabin where the once Admiral of the Twelve Colonies now spent out his days was easily recognizable as that of his son. The boy’s familiar determined stride breaking only when he came across the mound of sticks and rocks overlooking the east valley. At the sight of the grave Captain Apollo paused, bowing his head in respect and whispering a few words lost in the wind before continuing on towards his goal. 

Lee’s presence at the cabin wasn’t completely unexpected. Bill had long figured one or both of his children would track him down eventually, it was only a matter of time. Nor could he say he was all that surprised when he uncovered the reason behind the visit. 

“Kara’s mixed up in something, Dad. She’s asking for us. For both of us. Will you come back with me? Please?”

Really, it was more of a surprise something like this hadn’t happened sooner.

He wasn’t inclined to go, to leave the fragile bubble of existence he’d so carefully created for himself, to leave _Laura_ , if only for an afternoon. But Bill Adama had rarely if ever, been able to say no when it came to Kara Thrace. And so, for the first time since his self imposed seclusion, for the first time since arriving on this planet that was both a blessing and a curse, he found himself headed into the city center of the bustling metropolis that many Colonials now called home. 

As Lee navigated them through the congested busy streets - so much life - Bill tried not to think about how much the vibrant crowded city reminded him of Picon. The burst of homesickness for that other world, light years away and buried under a layer of nuclear fallout was second only to the ache of wishing Laura could have been there to experience it with him. 

_He would have taken her out on a real date. Some fancy restaurant, a classy place, like he’d never been able to do before. His beautiful gorgeous wife, healthy and smiling back at him across the table. A walk on the beach, Laura barefoot in the sand, high heels tossed carelessly in her bag, clutching his arm as they strolled aimlessly beside the waves, nowhere to be, no responsibilities at all. Her laughter when he scooped her up and pretended to throw her into the water. His lips on hers as they sank to the ground in a tangle of limbs._

If only. 

He was fighting back tears by the time he and Lee arrived at the building where the local authorities were holding Starbuck for questioning. Led to a nondescript interview room, a bored, insolent looking Kara jumped to her feet with a cheeky grin when she noticed her visitors. 

“Hey, old man. Thanks for coming.”

Kara trailed off, grin fading, as she struggled to come up with the words to acknowledge the giant elephant in the room that was Roslin’s absence. But whatever else his adopted daughter had been about to say was preempted by a whirlwind of a small woman in a floral dress sweeping into the room. 

“Hello everyone. I’m Deputy Chief Johnson. Ms Thrace, as you already know, the LAPD is very interested in talking to you about certain events that took place last night. I understand you’ve refused to say a word without the presence of your father and your attorney. So now that y'all are finally here, I trust we can get down to business?” 

“Yes, lets,” came a clipped voice from behind the Chief’s shoulder. “Good thing I found out about our guests’ arrival despite not being informed of such by your division. I know you weren’t about to start without me, now were you?” 

An annoyed grimace she didn’t bother to hide flashed across Johnson’s face. 

“Of course not.” The overly sweet tone made it quite clear that was exactly what the Chief had planned on doing and wasn’t thrilled it hadn’t worked. “By all means Captain, join us.”

But when the Chief somewhat grudgingly stepped aside to let the other person in and the three Colonials saw the all too familiar figure standing there in the doorway, they couldn’t have been more shocked than that fateful day when they first received news of the attacks.

*

It was, quite possibly, the most bizarre interview of Sharon Raydor’s career. And that was saying something. Hostility she was used to, had long ago learned to deal with. But this… This was strangely personal and something else entirely. 

“What the frak kinda game do you people think you’re playing?” Their witness/person of interest was shouting loudly, practically jumping up and down in agitation, half the barrage of words spilling out of her mouth not making any sense. At least not to Sharon anyway. 

_Frak? Lords of Kobol? Is she even speaking English? And what is she going on about?_

Stranger still was the older man’s reaction to Sharon’s entrance. 

Going pale as a sheet in an instant, stumbling forward on obviously unsteady legs, he seemed drawn towards her like a drowning man grasping for a life line. Stopping himself before actually reaching her, and before she felt the need to reach for her weapon or call for a guard, with a shake of his head he half collapsed half fell into the closest chair where he’d remained slumped over ever since, gaze fixed firmly on the floor, as if unable to bring himself to look at her any further. 

The younger man on the other hand hadn’t stopped looking, an expression of what could only be described as dumbfounded open mouthed astonishment mixed with reverential awe and a tinge of fear as he blurted out, “Madame President?”

When he whispered the word ‘cylon’ next, the blonde stopped her frantic pacing long enough to smack him upside the head. Hard. “For Gods sake Lee, you idiot, knock it off. It’s not possible. No frakking way. It can’t be.” But she didn’t sound very convinced of her own words. 

Their father effectively ended the conversation. “That’s enough. Laura was not a skinjob,” he growled. “Don’t even think it.”

Whatever that meant, it was enough to make the kids forego staring at Sharon in favor of exchanging worried glances aimed at their dad.

By this point, even Brenda was shooting the Captain a rather pointed look of her own. A look that clearly said she was pissed and convinced her nemesis knew more than she was letting on.

It wasn’t, Sharon had to concede, a completely off the wall assumption on the part of the Chief. Unfortunately, it also wasn’t true. The Captain had no more idea what was going on than her counterpart did.

But she was about to find out. Suppressing a sigh and taking a deep breath, Sharon cleared her throat and took control of the situation before things got any more out of hand than they already were. 

Thrace, it was quickly apparent, must have had some sort of military or law enforcement background. Sharon recognized the type immediately, she saw it enough in IA. Little respect for the rules or any authority but their own, but fundamentally well meaning and heart in the right place. Not unlike Chief Johnson actually. 

Haltingly, the one called Starbuck dutifully relayed how she’d been at the bar where two off duty patrol officers got into a drunken brawl that ended with shots fired, one person dead and three others in the hospital. How she’d jumped into the fray to help and subsequently gotten herself arrested as a result. 

The story matched the other eye witness accounts and what they’d been able to piece together from the security footage. Still, meticulous as ever, it took time to gather and go over all the information the head of FID needed to complete her report. Two officers jobs were on the line after all and, despite what some thought about her, Sharon had never taken her responsibilities lightly. It wasn’t until the Captain was fully satisfied with her notes that she stood up and began to gather her things. 

Throughout the interview, the sideways glances and weird tension had not abated in the slightest. Whatever it was all about, Sharon no longer cared. Her part here done, this was one situation she was more than happy to leave to the Chief and Major Crimes to finish up. 

Taking her leave, she had just reached the row of elevators when she was stopped in her tracks by a deep voice, authoritative yet hesitant, with a note of pleading. 

“Excuse me, but may I speak with you for just a moment?”

Frowning slightly at the interruption she turned around and found herself face to face with the elder Adama. 

“Yes?” The Darth Raydor expression she had so perfected over the years and which served to keep the vast majority of the LAPD in line didn’t seem to phase him in the slightest. Or, at least not in the way she expected it to. 

To her utter surprise, he chuckled. “My Gods, if that’s not the Presidential glare. No wonder Lee’s half convinced you’re a cylon.”

The crooked smile crumbled as quickly as it arose, replaced by a look of such profound sadness and loss, Sharon was more than a little taken aback. 

“But you’re not a machine or my Laura,” he continued. “You can’t be. I’m sorry. You must think me a crazy old fool. I should let you be. Leave you alone. But Kara practically shoved me out the door after you and well, truth be told, I don’t think I could have resisted following even without her rather questionable influence. I had to talk to you at least once.” 

Fumbling, clearly at a loss for words, he pulled a well worn piece of paper from his jacket pocket holding it out for Sharon to see. 

It was a candid photo of a woman in a red dress sitting on a rock staring pensively out at what appeared to be a motley collection of half constructed tents in the distance. The rising dawn light reflected off windswept hair more reddish than dark brown and there was something deeply troubled evident behind the familiar gray green eyes, but even so, the resemblance was unmistakable. Downright uncanny. The Captain could have been looking at a twin sister. She couldn’t help but gasp in surprise. 

“My wife,” Adama offered by way of explanation. “Before the cancer returned and took her from us. She’s with her Gods now.”

And suddenly, all the odd behavior fell into place. No wonder the poor man and his children had been acting like they’d seen a ghost. For all intensive purposes, they had. Sharon’s expression softened as she took in the astonishing sight of the woman in the picture once more. 

“The resemblance is rather remarkable, isn’t it,” she murmured. “I guess we all have a doppelganger out there somewhere. I’m so sorry for your loss Mr. Adama and for however inadvertently bringing up what must be a very difficult thing for you.” 

**

How, less than an hour later, she ended up following the man back to his place, she couldn’t rightly explain. 

She was a good Catholic girl. She was married, technically, if only on paper. Sharon Raydor didn’t do things like this. And yet, here she was; allowing a heartsore grief stricken stranger to trace his hands and lips over her body with the sort of tenderness and reverence she’d never thought possible let alone experienced before. Letting his tears mix with the light sheen of sweat developing on her skin as he clung to her, whispering a name that wasn’t hers over and over again. 

But standing there under the fluorescent lights of the nondescript hallway outside Major Crimes, as she looked into Adama’s piercing blue eyes and held his gaze, the Captain had nearly been brought to her knees by a vision of a life most certainly not her own. 

A horrific, terrifying, vision. The kind of thing capable of giving even the most hardened police officer nightmares for a long time to come.

_Death and destruction on a scale almost incomprehensible. The heavy weight of a tremendous responsibility on her shoulders. The toll of a failing, dying, body. The comforting presence of another who shared her burdens, who lent her strength when hers was depleted and for whom she offered the same. Her only form of shelter amidst a never ending storm._

The flashes came in quick succession, one after another. 

_You’re taking orders from a school teacher?_

_Everyday is a gift. Not from the Gods but from you._

_Never give up hope_

_Maybe the cylons come back, maybe they don’t. But for now we have a break._

_We have certain responsibilities..._

_She’s in my blood like cheap wine. All that I am, all that I want to be._

_Do you care that they found the tillium ship?_

_So much life..._

The spirit inhabiting Sharon’s mind sharing its memories wanted nothing more than to comfort the man standing awkwardly before them. To ease the pain that radiated from his very being. The man who’d been everything to her when she needed it the most. When the wordless question formed in her head, Sharon didn’t hesitate. How could she after seeing what she’d just seen? Letting her own consciousness fade into the background, she gave over at once, became the other woman. 

It was the least she could do.

Bill, she knew his name was Bill now, must have somehow sensed the change because an instant later he choked out a breathless “Laura? Is it you after all?”

“It’s me. It’s really me.”

“About time.”

**

When she woke, Sharon carefully untangled herself from the man dozing peacefully beside her. She didn’t need Laura’s intuition to suspect it was the first time in a long time Adama had gotten a good night’s sleep.

It would have been so easy to stay put, to pretend this sort of comforting embrace she found herself in was her reality for just a little while longer. But, all appearances aside, Sharon wasn’t the one he wanted, the one he cherished, and they both knew it. It would do neither of them any good for her to linger. Even so, after hastily dressing and locating her purse, she found she couldn’t go without being drawn once more to the bedside where the still slumbering man was snoring softly. 

Laura’s lingering spirit couldn’t help but lean over and place a kiss on his forehead, gently trace her thumb over the lines of his weathered cheek.

“I’m so sorry for leaving you, Bill. I would have done anything to stay. But know that I’m with you, always, and I’ll be there for you on the other side when the time comes.”

“I love you too,” he mumbled in response, sitting up and pulling her into a lingering kiss before letting her go. “Don’t worry about me, hon. Miss you but I’ll be fine. I can wait. You’re worth waiting for. Always have been.”

_Thank you for this, from both of us._

Laura’s gratitude was felt strongly, a burst of warm energy more than words, and then Sharon found herself alone in her head once more.

Driving back to her condo, Laura’s memories were already starting to fade, a hazy dream remembered after the fact, but Sharon couldn’t help but recall quite clearly the words the foreign priestess had said to the Colonial President. 

_Just love someone._

Despite everything she had been through, Laura had let herself love someone in the end. Maybe it was time for Sharon to let down her own walls and do the same. 

Her thoughts strayed to none other than Andy Flynn. 

The Captain wasn’t blind or naive. She was all too aware of the heated looks the lieutenant frequently shot her way when he didn’t think she was paying attention. She doubted he even realized he was doing it. But simmering under the surface of their contentious relationship was an undeniable spark, an undeniable attraction on both sides they’d both been studiously ignoring.

Maybe it was time to explore doing something about that.

She smiled. Sharon had seen the end of the worlds. Now she was going to let herself live a little.


End file.
